Sunday 21 January 2018 19:33, UK
Lille are expecting Manchester City to bid for 18-year-old midfielder Boubakary Soumare, according to Sky sources.
City were one of a number of English clubs who watched Soumare play for the Ligue 1 side against Rennes last week.
Lille value the Frenchman at £35m, with the club needing to raise funds this month to comply with financial fair play rules.
Sky Sports News understands they would prefer to do a deal this month and keep Soumare, who has made 10 appearances for Lille this season, on loan until the summer.
Soumare is one of the brightest prospects in French football and has been described as "the new Yaya Toure".
Toure's contract is up at the end of the season after he signed a new one-year deal last summer.
Soumare came through Paris Saint-Germain's academy and joined Lille looking for first-team opportunities in 2017.
He has also represented his country at youth level since making his debut in the Under-16 squad in 2014.
